Zendaya becomes the youngest lead drama actress Emmy winner ever

Zendaya attends the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
(Image credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Zendaya just made history at the Emmys.

The 24-year-old Euphoria star picked up the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award in a shock upset on Sunday night. In doing so, she becomes the youngest person to ever win in this category, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Zendaya's win came as the biggest surprise of the Emmys so far, as pundits had thought that the frontrunners were The Morning Show's Jennifer Aniston and Ozark's Laura Linney. In fact, Zendaya's nomination itself in the category was a bit of a surprise earlier this year.

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The record for the youngest lead drama actress Emmy winner ever was just set last year, the Times notes, when Killing Eve's Jodie Comer won at 26 years old. This was Zendaya's first Emmy nomination. She rose to fame starring on the Disney Channel's Shake It Up.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.